Ornamental combined nylon net and sponge device for cleaning surfaces



Sept. 1, 1964 A. STOKER 3,146,479

ORNAMENTAL COMBINED NYLON NET AND SPONGE DEVICE FOR CLEANING SURFACES Filed April 30, 1962 INVENTOR. ANNETTE STOKE/P United States Patent 3,146,479 ORNAMENTAL COMBINED NYLON NET AND SPONGE DEVICE FOR CLEANING SURFACES Annette Stoker, 2447 S. Colorado Blvd, Denver, Colo. Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,220 2 Claims (Cl. 15118) This invention relates to an ornamental device for scouring, washing and drying surfaces, particularly bathroom fixtures such as washbowls and the like. Such fixtures require frequent light cleaning and drying to keep them neat in appearance. If cleansing tools such as brushes or cloths are employed, it is necessary to store them after use to avoid having unattractive or unsightly objects in view.

The cleansing device embodying my invention is very efficient for its intended purposes and is ornamental in appearance so that it can be left exposed on the wash bowl or other surface when not in use.

My invention is embodied in a surface scouring, washing and drying device which in form simulates a flower, and is made of material which can be immersed in water and compressed in use, and automatically resumes original shape and appearance after excess moisture has been squeezed therefrom. The ornamental effect is achieved by winding a long folded strip of nylon net upon itself to form a loose roll which simulates the petals of a flower, such as a rose, for example, employing net of different colors such as pink or yellow for the blossom and green to suggest leaves surrounding the flower. A base made of spongy, water absorbent material such as sponge rubber, supports the flower-simulating portion. Natural sponge or other material having similar characteristics may be used.

The object of the invention is to produce an efiicient scouring, washing and drying device, ornamental in appearance, in which a scouring and washing portion is gently abrasive, non-absorbent and quick drying, and a surface drying portion is water absorbent. For these purposes a long strip of nylon net is folded longitudinally, midway between its free side edges, and the folded strip is loosely wound upon itself into roll-like form, with the folded edge of the strip in substantially a single plane, the opposite free edges being gathered together and attached to the sponge support. When in use for scouring and washing a surface, the support of the device is held in the hand of the user, with the folded edge of the nylon net functioning like a brush as it is passed back and forth over the surface being cleaned. After the cleaning de vice has been rinsed and the wash bowl or other surface washed clean, the user compresses the device to remove excess water, and then the sponge support is passed over the bowl or other surface to absorb water and leave it substantially dry. The cleansing device may be left on the side surface of the bowl, and if a little moisture remains in the upper flower like nylon net portion it passes quickly into the sponge and is absorbed therein. The device as a whole dries quickly after use.

Nylon net has the property of springiness and is gently abrasive to serve as a brush for cleansing purposes. It resumes its original form after having been compressed and deformed in use. It also has the desired quality of shedding water and of drying quickly, but it lacks water absorptive properties. The function of absorbing water from the cleaned surface and also of supporting the nylon net flower-simulating part of the device and absorbing water therefrom is achieved by the spongy base which retains absorbed water until it evaporates gradually.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawing and following description.

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In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the surface scouring, washing and drying device embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view in the plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the base 10 of sponge rubber or similar water absorbent material is square in shape and has parallel upper and lower flat surfaces 11. It may be square, rectangular or circular in horizontal cross section. For most purposes, a base 10 about three or four inches in width and length, or diameter, is preferred, but the dimensions may be varied.

A strip 12 of nylon net or other material having the properties of springiness and non-absorptiveness is folded at 13 upon itself, longitudinally, midway between its free edges 14. The folded strip is wound upon itself, loosely, into roll-like form simulating a flower of any desired color. A shorter strip 15 similar to the strip 12, preferably green in color to simulate leaves, forms the outer portion of the roll, and an end portion 16 of the outer strip 15 may be draped over the top of the base 10. The free edges 14 of the strips 12 and 15 are gathered together and the rolled strips are attached by stitches 17 or other suitable means to the upper surface 11 of the base 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the attachment of the folded nylon strip to the base 10 is confined to the means 17 in the edges 14 of the net and the top of the base 10, thus leaving the body of the net member above the base entirely unconfined and flexible.

The material of the strips 12 and 15 has natural stiffness and springiness. The folded edge 13 of the strip when wound loosely upon itself is located substantially in a single plane, and when the device has been moistened and the support 10 is held in the hand .of the user, with the folded edge 13 contacting the surface to be cleaned, the latter serves as a brush for cleansing the surface as it is passed back and forth thereover. After the surface has been cleaned and rinsed, the cleansiing device is compressed by the user to remove excess water, and then the sponge base It is passed over the cleaned surface to absorb water and leave it substantially dry.

Soap or other cleaning agents which may be used with the device can be rinsed therefrom easily and quickly, and after excess water has been squeezed .out the ornamental combined support and flower-form net can be left at the side of the wash bowl or other surface without detracting from the neatness or appearance of the room.

Changes may be made in details of construction and in the form of the chosen flower simulated by the nylon net, as well as in the form and proportion of other parts, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Although the drawing indicates that the base is made of sponge rubber, it is understood that natural sponge or other absorbent material may be substituted.

I claim:

1. A device attractive and non-utilitarian in appearance and eflicient for scouring, washing and drying surfaces to be cleaned, comprising a water absorbent spongy base comprising interconnected spaces throughout its volume and having a substantially flat bottom surface on which the device rests when not in use, an upper member mounted on the upper surface of the base comprising a strip of flexible springy non-absorbent net material folded upon itself between its longitudinal free edges to provide a top fold midway between said free edges and helically coiled to form a rose appearing brush-like body having said fold at the top of each convolution of the folded coiled net strip and said free edges being at its bottom, and means connecting only said bottom edges of the strip to the base leaving the major portion of said strip unconfined and flexible and said fold and the sides of the strip adjacent said fold exposed to provide maximum scouring and Washing surfaces across the fold when deflected and flattened under pressure contact with the surfaces to be cleaned, said base forming a handle held in the hand of the user when the upper member is used for cleaning a surface, and said base absorbing moisture from the upper member when resting on the bottom surface of the base after use, said upper member being characterized by ability to automatically resume its initial position and rose shape appearance after having been wetted and compressed.

2. The device defined by claim 1, in which the folded flexible strip is wound loosely upon itself.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reysa Jan. 5, Cameron July 1, Elliott May 12, Von Kohorn et a1 Aug. 18, Paul June 21, Gray June 28, Donney Nov. 8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Jan. 14, Great Britain Apr. 7, Austria June 10, France May 9, 

1. A DEVICE ATTRACTIVE AND NON-UTILITARIAN IN APPEARANCE AND EFFICIENT FOR SCOURING, WASHING AND DRYING SURFACES TO BE CLEANED, COMPRISING A WATER ABSORBENT SPONGY BASE COMPRISING INTERCONNECTED SPACES THROUGHOUT ITS VOLUME AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM SURFACE ON WHICH THE DEVICE RESTS WHEN NOT IN USE, AN UPPER MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE BASE COMPRISING A STRIP OF FLEXIBLE SPRINGY NON-ABSORBENT NET MATERIAL FOLDED UPON ITSELF BETWEEN ITS LONGITUDINAL FREE EDGES TO PROVIDE A TOP FOLD MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID FREE EDGES AND HELICALLY COILED TO FORM A ROSE APPEARING BRUSH-LIKE BODY HAVING SAID FOLD AT THE TOP OF EACH CONVOLUTION OF THE FOLDED COILED NET STRIP AND SAID FREE EDGES BEING AT ITS BOTTOM, AND MEANS CONNECTING ONLY SAID BOTTOM EDGES OF THE STRIP TO THE BASE LEAVING THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID STRIP UNCONFINED AND FLEXIBLE AND SAID FOLD AND THE SIDES OF THE STRIP ADJACENT SAID FOLD EXPOSED TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM SCOURING AND WASHING SURFACES ACROSS THE FOLD WHEN DEFLECTED AND FLATTENED UNDER PRESSURE CONTACT WITH THE SURFACES TO BE CLEANED, SAID BASE FORMING A HANDLE HELD IN THE HAND OF THE USER WHEN THE UPPER MEMBER IS USED FOR CLEANING A SURFACE, AND SAID BASE ABSORBING MOISTURE FROM THE UPPER MEMBER WHEN RESTING ON THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE BASE AFTER USE, SAID UPPER MEMBER BEING CHARACTERIZED BY ABILITY TO AUTOMATICALLY RESUME ITS INITIAL POSITION AND ROSE SHAPE APPEARANCE AFTER HAVING BEEN WETTED AND COMPRESSED. 